Cidade Turismo
France

Before you go

Your trip to Fontainebleau.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Fontainebleau – Ilha de França Destination Versalhes and the surroundings of Paris about 70 km from Paris

How to get there

  • Aéroport de Paris-Orly (ORY) Orly · 50 km
  • Aéroport Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) Roissy-en-France · 85 km
  • Gare de Fontainebleau-Avon Avon · 3 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

From Paris, trains leave Gare de Lyon for Fontainebleau-Avon station in about 40 minutes; from there a bus takes you to the town center and the château in around 15 minutes. By car it's roughly 70 km via the A6. Confirm before booking.

How many days

One day from Paris is enough for the château and the gardens. With two days you can add a hike in the forest, Barbizon and Vaux-le-Vicomte; in that case it's worth staying overnight in town or renting a car. The château is closed on Tuesdays.

When to go

From April to October, when the park is green and the forest is good for hiking; the European spring and autumn are usually the preferred seasons for climbing. Summer, from June to August, has long days. In winter, from December to February, it's cold and it gets dark around 5 p.m.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

For the castle, no: train to Fontainebleau-Avon and bus to the center. A car makes a difference for the forest beyond the town outskirts, for Barbizon and for Vaux-le-Vicomte, which don't have trains nearby. Without a car, use a taxi or seasonal shuttles.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Fontainebleau
  1. Morning
    Train and castle

    Take the train at Gare de Lyon and the station bus to the castle. Enter through the Cour des Adieux and walk through the Galerie François Ier, the Ballroom and the Throne Room.

  2. Afternoon
    Lunch and gardens

    Have lunch in town, near the place Napoléon Bonaparte. Then walk through the Grand Parterre de Le Nôtre, the Étang aux Carpes and the Jardin Anglais.

  3. Late afternoon
    Grand Canal and forest

    Continue to the Grand Canal and, if you have time, do a section of the sentiers bleus along the edge of the forest near town.

  4. Evening
    Return to Paris

    Dine in central Fontainebleau or return by train to Paris, which is about 40 minutes from the station.

2 days in Fontainebleau

Day 1

  1. Morning
    Château de Fontainebleau

    Start with the castle at the first opening time: Cour des Adieux, the horseshoe staircase, the Galerie François Ier and Napoleon's apartments.

  2. Afternoon
    Gardens and park

    After lunch, explore the gardens: Grand Parterre, Jardin de Diane, Étang aux Carpes and the Grand Canal.

  3. Late afternoon
    Town center

    Walk the streets around the castle, with shops, boulangeries and cafés.

  4. Evening
    Night in Fontainebleau

    Dine and sleep in town to get an early start for the forest the next day.

Day 2

  1. Morning
    Forest hike

    Do the Gorges de Franchard trail or watch climbers on the sandstone boulders. Bring water and an offline map.

  2. Afternoon
    Barbizon

    Head to Barbizon, have lunch on the Grande Rue and visit the museum at the Auberge Ganne and Millet's house-studio.

  3. Late afternoon
    Vaux-le-Vicomte

    In season, by car, go to the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte and walk through Le Nôtre's gardens. Out of season, do the Gorges d'Apremont starting from Barbizon.

  4. Evening
    Return to Paris

    Return to Paris by car or take the train from Melun or from Fontainebleau-Avon.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How to get from Paris to Fontainebleau?

Trains leave Gare de Lyon for Fontainebleau-Avon station in about 40 minutes. At the station, the line 1 bus takes you to the castle in around 15 minutes.

Is the station in town?

Not exactly. Fontainebleau-Avon station is in the neighboring town of Avon, about 3 km from the castle. So the bus or a taxi helps.

Is it worth staying overnight in Fontainebleau?

It's worth it for those who want to add the forest, Barbizon or Vaux-le-Vicomte, because those places are far from the train and require an early start. Just for the castle, a day trip from Paris works.

Is Fontainebleau good for going with children?

Yes. The park and the Grand Canal have space to run, and the forest has low rock outcrops and sand that children tend to love. There are marked bouldering circuits for them. Bring a snack, because there's no commerce inside the forest.

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